Suzanne is definitely still on contract, but also she doesn't really have more airtime than Deidre. Since she returned, Deidre has been in more episodes than Suzanne. It just doesn't seem like it. Since TomSell returned, Deidre has been more marginalized than Suzanne, but still on more. However, Josh Taylor, Peggy McCay, and James Reynolds all have contracts and many of the recurring actors have far more screen time than them.

Isn't their health insurance through SAG? If so, they should be able to get health insurance regardless of contract/recurring status as long as they air at all.

Episodes doesn't equal airtime.

And their health insurance might be through AFTRA. Which might be the same for all I know (meaning the health insurance part is similar).

I know it doesn't, but Marlena still has had more. Or at least she did the last two years. We'll see about this year.

IDK if it's the same thing or not, but I'm pretty sure it's independent of their contracts. They just have to work. Remember that episode of Friends where Joey didn't work enough one year and lost his insurance? It didn't happen immediately, and he was able to fix it by getting that commercial. I mean....that may not be a realistic portrayal of how that works, but I've heard about that in relation to one of the recurring actors on the show before.

Can I just say that I love you referencing Joey when explaining all this.